Amazon calls 2006 holiday season its best ever - Business - International Herald Tribune

SEATTLE — The 2006 holiday season was Amazon.com's "best ever," peaking with more than four million orders placed on Dec. 11, the Web retailer said Tuesday.

During its 12th holiday season, Amazon said that it had shipped more than 99 percent of orders in time to meet holiday deadlines around the world. At its peak, the retailer sent out more than 3.4 million units in a single day.

The company, which is based in Seattle, said that it had sold 1,000 Xbox 360 game consoles in 29 seconds, as part of a promotion that slashed two- thirds off the regular retail price.

Demand for the Microsoft machines was so high that Amazon's Web site was bogged down briefly on Thanksgiving Day, prompting bitter complaints from shoppers and forcing the retailer to change procedures for subsequent promotions.